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(No Model.)

J. H. BARLOW. Cartridge Loading Implement.

No. 229,301. Patented June 29, I880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. BARLOW, OF NEVt HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CARTRIDGE-LOADING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,301, dated June 29, 1880.

Application filed March so, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. BARLOW, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain Improvements in Cartridge-Rcloaders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to implements or tools for reloading metallic cartridge-shells; and the invention consists in providing a separate adjustable crimping-chamber for crimping the shell on the bullet after the same has been set in the shell in a separate reloading-chamber, and also in a lever arranged for with drawing the cartridge from the crimping-chamber, all as here- I 5 inafter more fully explained.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reloadingtool having my improvements applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section. j

These reloading-tools are made in a variety of forms but I prefer the form shown in the drawings, where A and 13 represent two strong handles, connected at one end by a pivot or joint-pin, b, the handle B being provided with the usual loading-chamber I, in which the bullet is seated in the shell in the usual manner, except that in this instance the shell is merely pushed onto the bullet the proper distance without crimping the mouth of the shell upon the bullet.

Heretofore these tools have been so made that the seating of the bullet in the shell and the crimping of the shell on the bullet have been done in the one loading-chamber, which 3 5 in some instances has been provided with an adjustable section or plug at its lower end for the purpose of finishing the cartridges all of a uniform length. Tools in which the seating of the bullet and the crimping of the shell there- 0 on are both effected in the same chamber do not work well, for the reason that, as both operations take place simultaneously, it follows necessarily that the mouth of the shell begins to be turned inward on the bulletbefore the 4 5 latter is pressed home to its seat, especially when the bullet fits the shell with that degree of accuracy which is necessary for accurate shooting, and the result is, that the edge of the shell is crowded or forced into the sides of the bullet as the latter is forced into the shell, thereby forcing a portion of the metal of the bullet over the outside of the shell, and which leaves the surface of the bullet rough or ragged, which materially interferes with the ac curacy of the shooting. This dificulty is rendered still greater when the bullets are patched with paper, as is now customary for targetshooting, as the inturned edge of the shell tears or strips off the patch as the shell is forced into the chamber of the tool; and to avoid this difficulty this style of cartridges have generally been used without crimping the mouth of the shell upon the bullet, the latter being simply pushed into the shell the proper distance, and left so loose that it can be taken 6 out and replaced by hand.

To obviate these difficulties I provide the tool with a separate crimping-chamber, which consists of a tube, E, having a crimping-shoulder, 5, near its lower end, as shown in Fig. 2. This tube or chamber E is provided externally with a screw-thread, by which it is secured to the arm B, which is provided with a corresponding screw-thread, and by which means also the tube or chamber can be adjusted so as to regulate the amount of crimping that shall be given to the shell, as may be desired, and without reference to the distance that the bullet may be in the shell.

A jam-nut, F, is applied to the exterior of the tube E, as shown in Fig. 2, by which, when adjusted, the tube is held securely in place.

A lever, R,is pivoted to the handle B, with its point fitting in a recess under the flange of the shell, as shown in Fig.1 and in dlotted lines in Fig. 2, with a spring, a, under its rear arm to keep its point in place.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of the tube E is left open, so that the bullet may protrude when the shell is being crimped, the ob- 9o ject being not to disturb the position of the bullet in the shell or to crowd it farther in while the crimping is going on. The same result, of course, may be accomplished by having the end of the tube closed, provided it is 5 bored deep enough below the crimping-shoulder to prevent the end of the bullet from coming in contact with the bottom of the chamber is adjusted.

-It will thus be seen that by means of this separate and adjustable crimping-chamber the shell can becrimped entirely independent of v the operation of seating or forcing the bullet in the shell, and that, consequently, the tearing or roughening of the surface of the bullet or of the patch thereon is entirely avoided, and, further, that the degree or extent of the crimping can be regulated at will.

Another advantage of this improvement is,

that much less power is required than where the seating of the bullet and the crimping of the shell are both effected at one operation and this is specially important when the powder is compressed in the shells, as is quite common at the present day.

By this improvement shells can be loaded and crimped with a degree of accuracy hitherto unattainable with the ordinary reloading implements or tools.

I am aware that a reloading-tool has been described in which the seating of the bullet and the crimping of the shell were eflected simultaneously in a chamber provided with an adjustable closed end for determining the length of the cartridge, and I do not claim such; but

What I do claim is 1. In a cartridge-reloader, a separate adj ustable crimping-chamber, E, provided with an open end or equivalent space for the bullet to occupy, so that the shell may be crimped or compressed upon the bullet to a greater or less extent without forcing the bullet into'the shell during the operation of crimping, substantially as described.

2. A reloading-tool provided with a bullet seating chamber, I. and a separate crimpingchamber, E, the said chambers being constructed to operate substantially as described, whereby the hullet is first seated in the shell to the exact depth required, and the shell is then crimped 0n the bullet without changing the position of the bullet thus seated, as set forth.

J. H. BARLOW'.

Witnesses:

VIoToR A. KING, GEO. E. HoDsoN. 

